Shawn Ryan's overlooked 100% 'The Chicago Code'

Long before The Night Agent, Shawn Ryan was already known for The Shield. In 2011 he returned with The Chicago Code, a FOX drama set in his hometown of Chicago that mixed the scope of a political drama with the structure of a police procedural. The series ran one season—13 episodes—and despite strong reviews and a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, FOX cancelled it.

The story centers on Detective Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke), who is recruited by newly elected Superintendent Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals) to root out corruption within the police department and the city’s political machine. Much of the tension comes from Wysocki’s pursuit of Alderman Ronin Gibbons (Delroy Lindo), while his partner Detective Caleb Evers (Matt Lauria) offers a ground-level view of the job.

Ryan’s connection to Chicago helped ground the series in a strong sense of place, making the city central to the story rather than a generic backdrop.

shawn ryan, chicago code, jason clarke, jennifer beals, delroy lindo, matt lauria, fox, chicago, rotten tomatoes, police procedural